Hopping, Popping, Gardening And Mysteries, BINGO! It Must Be April and National Library Week At the Pearl Library! OH YEEAAAH!

     National Library Week 2017 runs from April 9 -15, with the theme Libraries Transform. That has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?  Libraries DO transform. They transform people. They transform communities.  Libraries offer so much! Like what, you ask? During the entire month of April, the lineup of events at the Pearl Public Library will transform and amaze. Ready?  Here we go!
     When it comes to adult programming in April, just follow Amy's trail. She says, when you hippity hop right into the library during April; tell us why you visited and get entered into a drawing for a sweet prize. The drawing will be Monday, May 1st. 

      Monday April 10th is NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK KICKOFF - from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., come to the library and fill out a survey and tellus how we can improve our services. You'll be entered into a drawing scheduled the very next day, April 11th, and the chance to win a cool prize.  Now, that's not all that's happening on this day!

    The Tuesday of every annual National Library Week is set to honor librarians. It's called NATIONAL LIBRARY WORKERS' DAY.  You probably already know how ridiculously awesome the Pearl Library staff is, don't you? Of course you do! Sooo, from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. We want you to stop by the library, enjoy a snack and tell us why your favorite librarian is a star.

   Drum roooooollll please. This one is a biggie!  The Friends of the Pearl Library along with the Chapter 1 Book Club present award-winning, local mystery and suspense writer, John M. Floyd. Uh-huh. Right here on Tuesday April 11th at 6 p.m. Patsy, the Chapter 1 Book Club facilitator has a fine program set up. John will talk about this latest book, Dreamland and sign books. The program is free. There will be light refreshments and door prizes.

    Hopping right along, Bingo for Books is Thursday April 13th at 6 p.m. Celebrate National Library Week with a game of Bingo and a chance to win your choice of a variety of books.

Whew! All this hopping has me feeling a little hungry. Oh great! We have that covered too. Free POPCORN! On Friday, April 14th end National Library Week with free popcorn from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Come by and meet your library staff. We will be serving up this wonderful treat! Can you dig it? Sure you can!

Speaking of digging, there's nothing bunnies love more than carrots! YUM-O! Covvverrred! Yes, Amy's Simply Crafts - free adult program - will be making Easter Carrots Rice Krispie Treats at 6 p.m. on Thurs. April 20. No reservation is required and all ingredients supplied!  

Well, maybe you are into a different type of digging. It is that time of year when gardening is becoming the center of attention. Wouldn't you know that the Pearl Library has a great program to help you out. The Rankin County Master Gardeners will be at the library on Thursday April 27th at 6 p.m. to share expert gardening tips. All free. 

Really impressive stuff going on at the Pearl Library! All programs are free! You don't want to miss out on anything.

We'll see you there!

A FAVORITE MS AUTHOR AT THE PEARL LIBRARY!

Popular, Mississippi author, John Floyd, will be the guest speaker at the Pearl Public Library's Brown Bag program Friday, Jan. 23 at noon. He will also be signing copies of his short story collection, Fifty Mysteries: The Angela Files.  Bring your lunch. Drinks and dessert are furnished by the Friends of the Pearl Library.

Floyd, a Rankin County resident and a graduate of Mississippi State University, has won the coveted Derringer Award for short mystery fiction.  In Fifty Mysteries, sheriff Charles "Chunky" Jones is up to his crime solving speed with retired school teacher, Angela "Angel" Potts helping him.

    

Floyd began writing professionally in 1994 and has published over 1,000 stories and features in widely-read publications like Woman’s World, Alfred Hitchcock's  Mystery Magazine, and The Saturday Evening Post. He teaches creative writing at Millsaps College’s Enrichment Program in Jackson.    Floyd is a former Air Force captain and worked for IBM Corporation for thirty years. He and his wife, Carolyn, have three grown children and six grandchildren and live in Brandon.

Come on by and join in the fun. The Brown Bag program is free and open to everyone.

We'll see you there!

PEARL LIBRARY'S BROWN BAG ENGAGING!

Left to Right: Eleanor Jones, Joe Lee, & Cecelia Sandifer

Mississippi author, Joe Lee, owner of Dogwood Press in Brandon, was the guest speaker at the Pearl Public Library's Brown Bag program on Friday. 

Director's Cut (2014) is Joe Lee's fifth installment of the critically acclaimed Oakdale suspense series. It is his seventh novel. 

"Joe Lee is a great speaker," said Eleanor. "He made me want to read all of the suspense series he's written! He really drew me in!"

There are always great programs going on at the Pearl Public Library. Don't forget the bag of books for $1 book sale going on right now. All the books you can fit into a bag. The proceeds go to benefit the Friends of the Pearl Library.

We'll see you there!

PEARL LIBRARY PRESENTS JOE LEE'S "DIRECTOR'S CUT"!

The Pearl Public Library presents popular Mississippi author Joe Lee as the Brown Bag program guest speaker on Fri., Oct. 24 at 12-noon.

He will be discussing his latest work, Director’s Cut, (2014) the fifth of the critically acclaimed Oakdale suspense series. It is his seventh novel. A book signing will follow.

        

Lee, owner and Editor-in-Chief of Dogwood Press in Brandon, has appeared at the library before, and is an audience favorite.  “We’re happy to have Joe Lee back at the Pearl Library,” said Eleanor Jones who's in charge of adult programming at the library.  “He’s such a great asset to the community and to Mississippi. We can’t wait to hear about Director’s Cut.”

In Director’s Cut, Tripp Kelly is a laid back film professor at the University in Oakdale. He has everything. He’s popular among the student and faculty body. He’s newly and happily married to a former student named Dana. He loves his work which includes spearheading an annual, well attended independent film festival. He’s just a happy guy, and couldn’t be happier. He’s also a serial killer!  

THAT got your attention didn't it!?  See, you do not want to miss this Brown Bag special. No reservations needed. The program is free; desserts and drinks are supplied by the Friends of the Pearl Library!

We'll see you there!

Author Jeana Campbell Visits Florence Library for National Library Week

Florence Public Library

Author Jeana Campbell will join us during National Library Week to sign copies of her latest novel Spirit Woman . Tuesday, April 16 at 11:00 am. Come and enjoy coffee and light refreshments.

Spirit Woman
... by Jeana Campbell

Book Description
Publication Date: September 12, 2012
Faced with an uncertain future after the death of her soldier husband, and the end of the Civil War, a young American In...dian woman must come to grips with life when she returns home to her family, a man she once loved, and the legend that has been written for a lifetime.

Florence Public Library
115 West Main Street
Florence, MS 39073
Phone: 601-845-6032

M & Th 9:30-7:00
Tu & W 9:30-5:00
F 1:00-5:00
Sa 9:00-12:30See More

National Library Week at the Pearl Library

We have so much coming up at the Pearl Library that I hardly know where to start!

Next week, we go into overdrive with so many events at the library in honor of National Library Week. On Tuesday, April 16th, all of the staff members (well, all of the willing staff members) are going to be dressed like stereotypical librarians (Hair buns, glasses, pencil skirts, the whole deal)! The public is welcome to join in this fun occasion!

Also, our children's department will be having a Puzzled by Pink party on Tuesday the 16th at 5:00 p.m., at which author Sara Frances Hardy will be reading her book by that name. Children are welcome to come dressed up in pink or in all black, or in anything they would want to wear to a party! Refreshments generously provided by the Pearl Chamber of Commerce.

On the 16th, famed cartoonist and local celebrity Marshall Ramsey will ALSO be visiting us! He'll be in the meeting room at 6:00 p.m., reading from his new book, Fried Chicken and Wine. We're so excited for him to come read with us! Refreshments generously provided by the Pearl Chamber of Commerce.

Next, on Thursday, April 18th at 12:00 p.m., James Meredith will be here speaking about his newest book, A Mission from God: A Memoir and Challenge for America. I was so excited when my branch manager told me that she had met and spoken with Mr. Meredith. He has done so much to promote racial equality in this state and country, and we are thrilled to have him come to the Pearl Library. Refreshments will be served (again by generous donation from the Pearl Chamber of Commerce, so come on over during your lunch break!

Finally, we'll end National Library Week 2013 on Friday, April 19th with a very special Brown Bag Luncheon, in which the Mississippi Department of Archives and History will come talk to us about the Eudora Welty House and Collection. This is going to be a phenomenal presentation, and you won't want to miss it. Bring your sack lunch and meet us in the meeting room at 12:00 p.m. We'll have light refreshments and drinks provided by the Friends of the Pearl Library!

It's sure to be a crazy, exciting, and fun week around here next week. We hope you'll come hang out with us and enjoy some of these great programs. See you then!!

Marshall Ramsey, Speaker, Writer, Cartoonist to Visit the Florence Library

Marshall Ramsey, Speaker, Writer, Cartoonist to Visit Library
Need to laugh? Want to be inspired? Look no further than cartoonist/writer/speaker Marshall Ramsey. Ramsey brings his newest book to the library, Fried Chicken and Wine: Short stories inspired by Banjo the dog. He will be discussing and signing his newest book at the Florence Public Library on February 26 at 11: 30 

“The stories are very personal — and yet they aren’t about me,” says Ramsey about his newest book. “Most are set in this unique state we know as Mississippi, although New York City, The Smokies, San Diego, Washington D. C., and Atlanta all make cameos. Laughter, hope, and redemption are ingredients that make up the seasoning of the literary gumbo.”

Ramsey wrote in his blog (www.marshallramsey.com) while waiting for printing and delivery of the new title, “The stories vary. The Mustard Seed is a story of hope for a man struggling to reinvent himself after his career has been turned on end. It’s a story that has spread around the country on the internet during this crazy economy we’re surviving. If Sherman Attacked Atlanta Today is a funny story about if the Battle of Atlanta occurred today.  The Bottle Tree is a story about true love. Up in the Delta sky is also about love and the need to heal. The Final D-Day salutes a forgotten soldier. The Legend of Winston the Whitetail Deer features a local deer from Kosciusko (because I like saying Kosciusko) who saves Christmas. The Amazing Game tells the life of a father and son as a football game. And of course, there are several stories featuring Banjo the dog, my beloved Border Terrier who died this summer. Requiem for a Terrier is his obituary.”

Marshall Ramsey, 42, spent his first 18 years in Marietta, Georgia. He then uprooted and accepted a scholarship to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

While at the University of Tennessee, Ramsey served as the editorial cartoonist for The Daily Beacon, the University of Tennessee’s daily student newspaper. Ramsey also won  The John Locher Memorial Award, awarded to the top collegiate cartoonist in America. Since his graduation from UT  in 1991, Ramsey‘s cartoons have appeared in  USA Today, Newsweek,  U.S. News and World Report, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times and 450 other newspapers.  His work has also been seen on CNN and CSPAN. He is currently the staff cartoonist for The Clarion-Ledger and is syndicated nationally by Creators Syndicate. Ramsey was named a Pulitzer Finalist in 2002 and 2006.

Ramsey has also illustrated seven children’s books for his cousin, financial expert Dave Ramsey (five of which appeared in Chick-fil-a kid’s meals) and has illustrated Nobody’s Poet for chef and author Robert St. John. His first book Marshall Ramsey’s Greatest Hits sold out and 10! A Ten-Year Celebration is also a local best seller.

He is also a melanoma survivor and has been honored by the Melanoma Research Foundation (2003 Winds of Hope Award) and the American Cancer Society for his work with promoting skin cancer screening. He is co-founder of the Run from the Sun, a 5K race that raises money and awareness to cure melanoma.
Ramsey, his wife and three sons live in Mississippi, the greatest state for politics and raising a family.

Florence Public Library is part of Central Mississippi Regional Library System, which serves the public libraries of Rankin, Scott, Simpson, and Smith Counties. For more information call 601-845-6032.

Florence - Adult Book Club

Florence Library's Adult Book Club meets Wednesday, Feb. 13, 11:00 a.m.- 12:00pm. This month author Jeana Campbell will join us to sign copies of her latest novel Spirit Woman. Come and enjoy coffee and light refreshments.


Spirit Woman
by Jeana Campbell

Book Description
Publication Date: September 12, 2012
Faced with an uncertain future after the death of her soldier husband, and the end of the Civil War, a young American Indian woman must come to grips with life when she returns home to her family, a man she once loved, and the legend that has been written for a lifetime.

Florence Public Library
115 West Main Street
Florence, MS 39073
Phone: 601-845-6032

M & Th 9:30-7:00
Tu & W 9:30-5:00
F 1:00-5:00
Sa 9:00-12:30